My family moved from Florida to Portugal 4 years ago. Our cost of living was much lower and many aspects of life surprised us.

• The people we met in Portugal were very nice – and loved staying up late.

• Overall, life in Portugal was more affordable for us.

In early 2020, my family of three was living in West Palm Beach, Florida when we decided to take a six-month trip around Europe.

During our stay, we rented an Airbnb in Portugal on farmland near the city of Coimbra. We fell in love with the area and extended our stay so often that the owner asked if we would like to buy the house.

We decided to buy it and lived in central Portugal for the next three years. Here are some of the biggest differences we noticed after moving abroad.

For my family of three, settling in Portugal was much cheaper than living in Florida

One of the main reasons we moved to Portugal was the lower cost of living. Although there are always exceptions, the houses we saw in Portugal were significantly cheaper than those in Florida.

According to a market survey from the Miami Association of Realtors, the median sales price of a home in Palm Beach County was $363,000 in January 2020. In our Portuguese neighborhood, we saw homes listed for less than $250,000.

Even essentials like medicines, groceries, and even road tolls were incredibly affordable compared to what we paid in the US. In Florida, our family of three spent about $150 each week on essentials, but in Portugal we spent about $80 weekly.

In Portugal, my family of three could eat out for the equivalent of about $31. However, I don’t think we’ve ever gotten away with a bill under $50 for a mediocre meal in the US.

The strangers we met in Portugal were incredibly kind

When we first moved into our house in Portugal, our neighbors offered us freshly picked produce every week.

If other customers or employees in the store saw my husband and I with our small child, we would be moved to the front of the line we were in. In comparison, in Florida I was sometimes put in line when I was distracted by my child.

Although there are definitely friendly strangers in the US, the people we met in Portugal were nicer than I expected and it felt genuine.

Driving through Portugal feels like exploring a national park – an experience I didn’t have in the US

If you’ve ever been to a national park in the US, you’ll probably understand what I mean when I say that’s how I feel about most of Portugal.

From the majestic mountains to the numerous untouched landscapes, you can travel for miles just spotting wildlife before being brought back to reality by another traveler on the road.

Nature trails, hiking and cycling paths, natural pools and promenades seem to be endlessly woven through the country.

There are tons of beautiful places in the US, but where I lived in Florida, I didn’t feel like natural beauty was as accessible or widespread as it was in Portugal.

Our Portuguese friends’ schedules were very different from ours

We were surprised to learn that many of the Portuguese people we met liked to stay up late, even with their children.

While spending time with friends in Lisbon, I learned that many of them considered 8 p.m. to be the normal time to start dinner. After dinner, parents often sat talking and drinking wine while the children played next to them, so young children didn’t get to bed until 9 p.m. or later.

Back in the US, my family usually ate dinner around 6 p.m. and we always made sure our child was in bed by 7:30 p.m

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